Govt’s GH₵6,000 a bag of cocoa promise broken – Minority

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has issued a stern warning to the government, demanding an immediate increase in the cocoa producer price from GH₵3,000 to GH₵6,000 per 64kg bag. According to the Caucus, this demand is not only a matter of fairness but also a critical national economic and security concern.
Speaking at a press conference at Miklin Hotel in Kumasi, the Ranking Member on the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Isaac Yaw Opoku, accused the government and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) of reneging on a core campaign promise made during the 2024 general elections.
He said the current cocoa price is a betrayal of the trust of Ghana’s hardworking farmers.

A promise made, a promise broken?
During the 2024 election campaign, then-presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, vowed to raise the cocoa producer price to GH₵6,000 per 64kg bag to reflect global market trends. However, after transitioning into government, the NDC-led administration has failed to deliver on that promise.
Instead, COCOBOD has maintained the price at GH₵3,000 per bag—a figure set under the previous administration at GH₵48,000 per tonne for the 2024/2025 crop season.
This, the Minority says, constitutes a clear deviation from the commitment made to farmers, who were led to believe that a new government would prioritize their economic welfare.

Inconsistencies and excuses
Adding fuel to the controversy, the Minority pointed to what they described as contradictory statements from COCOBOD.
On April 8, 2025, COCOBOD cited operational challenges for its inability to adjust the producer price.
Barely 24 hours later, a second statement offered entirely different explanations, deepening concerns about the board’s transparency and decision-making.
“This is shocking and highly disappointing,” the Minority stated. “COCOBOD appears to be shifting blame and hiding behind conflicting justifications rather than upholding its promises.”
The group also reminded the government of its stated goal of paying cocoa farmers at least 70% of the Free-On-Board (FOB) value of cocoa exports.
With farmers currently earning far less, the Caucus is questioning the sincerity of the government’s pre-election pledges.

Financial muscle exists, so what’s the delay?
The Minority Caucus dismissed arguments suggesting the price hike is unaffordable.
They noted that COCOBOD has already purchased over 560,000 metric tonnes of cocoa and secured more than US$2 billion in receipts through the Bank of Ghana.

“With that level of revenue, it is simply unacceptable to tell farmers there’s no money to honour a GH₵6,000 per bag promise,” Hon. Opoku argued. “This is a matter of political will, not economic incapacity.”

A brewing regional crisis
Compounding the situation is growing concern about regional competitiveness.
Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana’s closest cocoa-producing neighbour, recently raised its farmgate price by over 22%. As a result, Ivorian farmers now earn more than GH₵3,600 per bag—well above the GH₵3,000 paid to Ghanaian farmers.
The Minority warned that this price disparity could encourage large-scale smuggling of Ghanaian cocoa across the border, threatening the nation’s cocoa sector.
They also cautioned that demoralized farmers may increasingly turn to illegal mining and other unsustainable ventures if cocoa farming remains economically unviable.

A national security matter
“This is not just about economics; it’s about national security,” the Minority stressed. “Cocoa is the backbone of our rural economy. Undermining it with broken promises is a direct threat to livelihoods, local stability, and our international standing as a top cocoa producer.”

The press conference ended with a passionate appeal to the government to do right by the farmers.

Final call: No more excuses
“COCOBOD and the government must stop the excuses and pay Ghana’s cocoa farmers what they were promised—GH₵6,000 per bag,” the Minority Caucus declared.
As tensions rise and political accountability is demanded, the pressure mounts on the government to act swiftly and decisively. Whether or not this administration honors its campaign pledge could define its credibility among one of Ghana’s most vital and symbolic constituencies: the cocoa farmer.